The good news is there is no doubt in my mind that the pacemaker mom got years ago kept her around long after her old heart would have stopped. I am thankful for the additional years and the quality of life it gave her. I went with Mom to visit her cardiologist's office about 5 years ago. They hooked her up to some machine and tested the pacemaker. They lowered the heart rate to see at what level the heart's normal rhythm would kick in. The got down into the range of 14 and her heart hadn't done any over riding. The Nurse Practitioner said that he was afraid that they might need a crash cart and stopped the test.
The bad news is that now that she is failing fast, that same modern marvel is keeping her alive beyond any semblance of quality of life. In her Health Directive she has stated that she doesn't want any heroic measures taken to keep her alive. There just isn't any on/off switch for that pacemaker. Oh well, in good time it will all happen for the best.
If you were to be here in the heartland, you would get to see first hand what the wild winds of Kansas have kicked up. There is a steady 20 MPH wind blowing with intermittent gusts of up to 35 MPH. Any pollen kicked out by the trees is being stirred up and blown towards Nebraska. At least we have not had any of the snow Idaho and Nevada have. By late today they are predicting the cooler air to get here. We'll see If Barb and I need to rush out and save plants. At least the garage is a better place than on the deck.
Better run, write if you get work.
MUD
When you are watching a loved one fade you do wonder about things like pacemakers prolonging things. I thought about that sort of thing quite a bit when my grandpa was dying 8 years ago. The night before my grandma died in October I was able to stay with her alone all night in her hospital room. It is so hard to let them go but you have to when it is their time. My prayers are with y'all.
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